Against All Odds
by moondogfic
Summary: Sirius and Remus arrive as tragedy strikes that infamous Halloween night, they find their godson amongst the wreckage and attempt to rebuild their lives as a family, despite all the obstacles in their way.


31 October, 1981

Sirius Orion Black never thought the day would come that the Marauders would break up. They had made pacts and supposedly everlasting oaths but all of that was thrown out of the window for some bloody war and because James Potter was fixed on being a right git. Dumbledore had only weeks before mentioned there may be a spy in the order. At first the boys banded together, covering each other's alibis and vouching for one another, Peter's absences due to illness accounted for, they were all in the clear, except Remus. He had been gone on "special missions" for the headmaster that even Sirius did not know all the details of- apparently the courtesy of knowing the whereabouts of one's significant other was not a wartime luxury Dumbledore was willing to grant; It was Peter who first pointed the blame, squeaking in a conspiratorial and slightly horrified tone that "perhaps- and only perhaps mind you-" it was Remus. Initially, James was as affronted as Sirius, though the toll of having a wife on the frontlines and a young son at home, with the prophecy looming overhead, lead him to the conclusion that, though a close friend, Remus' periodic absences seemed perfectly aligned with cause for suspicion; not to mention that "Most wolves have turned to the dark anyways," (as James had put it), which equalled out into interrogating Moony in the few times he was present. This angered Sirius, he rarely got to see his beloved and his brother-like best friends were questioning him constantly, adding to Remus' already unhealthy levels of stress, so he snapped: told James to shove off and that if he was so distrustful he had better find a new secret keeper. He did. The Potters went into hiding. They had barely spoken since.

Hence the bottle of firewhiskey clenched in his left hand and Moony's hand held tenderly in his right as he stomped through Godric's Hollow. He scowled at the ground in front of him. Dumbledore was late. It was the headmaster who had suggested this meeting, stating that "in-fighting will do us no good." Due to the Fidelius Charm, Dumbledore had to call upon the secret keeper to escort them to the Potter's house. Sirius groaned, Remus sighed. "Pads," he implored tugging at Sirius' hand "Pads look at me." Reluctantly, Sirius met Remus' eyes and his anger was displaced with concern. "This doesn't feel right… something is off," his eyes flicked around nervously. "And who is the secret keeper anyways? And where are they? Sirius I don't like this." Anxiety painted the frail man's face and Sirius' heart wrenched. He hated keeping things from Remus, he knew that James had chosen Peter to spite him, to show that Peter was loyal to the Marauders, and to rub in his face that he and Remus had supposedly betrayed James. James was a complete git. Still, he took his partner into his arms.

"Remus, It's going to be fine. It's just James, Lily, and little Harry," He kissed Remus' head and smiled weakly at the thought of their young godson, they needed to mend this fight for the tyke if nothing else. Their bodies jolted together as a resounding crack echoed through the night. The firewhiskey smashed on the easement.

They tore apart and bolted in the direction of the noise, a small cottage appearing no more than 200 meters away. A scream rang out.

"LILY!"

Sirius felt as if his heart would explode. He pushed himself to run even faster, his legs burning. The upper floor of the cottage was in utter ruin, smoke billowing out. The door was gone. He heard Remus' whines of pain at the sight of the wreckage and rushed through the threshold, wand drawn. He wordlessly illuminated the tip of his wand, unable to speak; there on the floor, barefoot and bleeding was his best friend, brother, and truest confidant. "James," his voice cracked, barely even a whisper.

"Oh Merlin," the horror in Remus' voice was evident as he frantically began trying to mend the wounds of his friend. Sirius rushed to James' side and searched for any signs of life, noticing the slight rise and fall of the man's chest.

"Sirius, Remus- Harry- take care of Harry." James' voice was weak but firm. He coughed violently.

"Remus- healing spells-" Sirius started but Remus cut him off,

"I'm doing all I can! I don't think I can stop it, it's some curse, I can't-"

"Stop- I was wrong, I love you both, but Harry, now please." James was quiet, but commanding, Sirius saw the resolve within his eyes, there was no stopping this, he knew.

"Go, I'll do what I can." Remus whispered. Sirius cried as he hugged his best mate for what he knew would be the last time, but sprinted upstairs to find his godson. He was met with Lily's body, splayed at the top of the stairs in the doorway of the nursery. His breath caught, his eyes stung, he halted, but the sound of Harry's muffled cries urged him onward.

"Siri!" The toddler shrieked, there was blood on his forehead but he appeared otherwise unharmed, "Mama!" He scooped the boy into his arms, Harry's screaming stopped.

"Harry," he cried, torn apart by sorrow for his friends and the joy that Harry was alive, hearing Remus' sobs below, knowing James was dead; He comforted the boy, "It is going to be alright Harry, Uncle Remus and I will protect you." The boy, teary-eyed, nodded with grave understanding. He shivered, Sirius carefully wrapped his leather jacket around him and headed downstairs. Remus was hunched over James' body, but looked up.

"Lily?" He questioned. Sirius shook his head. Remus stifled a cry. "Harry?" Sirius opened the jacket to reveal the small boy, Remus sighed from sheer relief and rushed over. "Thank Merlin- oh, thank Merlin." He was shaking. Another crack from beyond the house. Sirius handed Harry to Remus and drew his wand, rage boiling in his chest; he would avenge his family.

Peter Pettigrew was sniffling in the remnants of the lawn, the dark mark undulating overhead. He was anguished, on his knees, incoherently rambling, "N-no, my lord, how could this- an infant- my lord." Sirius snarled. The rat, he was the fucking weak link, always.

"YOU!" Sirius snatched him up by the scruff of his neck as he tried to scuttle backwards jabbing his wand into his throat, he was delirious with fury. "It was you, pathetic little rat, I should have known. You weak fuck! You were always the most feeble-minded git- I would have never thought- you were too stupid-"

"P-padfoot..." the rodent-like man whimpered.

"HOW DARE YOU!" forgetting his wand, Sirius felt the sickening crunch of Pettigrew's nose colliding with his knuckles. He pummeled him, Peter falling limp. "YOU SHOULD HAVE DIED! DIED RATHER THAN BETRAY YOUR FRIENDS! AS WE WOULD HAVE FOR YOU!"

"Sirius, he's not worth it." Remus' voice cut through the cacophony. Sirius paused, turning to his lover in disbelief. "Remus but he-"

"R-remus, t-thank you, you always were so kind, the most rational." Peter grovelled.

"Shut it." Remus' voice was steel, "Let him rot in Azkaban, Sirius, he deserves to suffer. Tie him up, we'll take him to the order." The rat bastard paled, attempted to wriggle away and transform into his animagus, Sirius quickly stunned him, leaving him incapacitated on the lawn as he sent his patronus to the order.


End file.
